By West                                          H.B. No. 405

      75R2319 PEP-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to restricting certain recreational amenities available to

 1-3     inmates imprisoned in the institutional division of the Texas

 1-4     Department of Criminal Justice.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is

 1-7     amended by adding Section 501.018 to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 501.018.  RECREATIONAL AMENITIES.  The institutional

 1-9     division may not allow an inmate access to:

1-10                 (1)  weight-lifting equipment or accessories other than

1-11     in connection with physician-recommended physical therapy; or

1-12                 (2)  use of a television or radio other than in

1-13     connection with a programmatic activity, such as a work,

1-14     educational, or vocational activity.

1-15           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-16           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.